


Welcome to the Show

by Burgie



Series: Katja Joins Team Good AU [72]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 15:28:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15270522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Katja's worst fears are realised as her daughter disappears into the big top.





	Welcome to the Show

When Elizabeth called Mandy back up to the Secret Stone Circle to speak with her, her mother waited outside of the spiral path leading to the stone circle just outside Valedale.

"Why?" Mandy asked when her mother announced her intention to stay there. Katja looked at the ground, scuffling her paws, before she looked back up at her daughter.

"I have... bad memories of being up there," said Katja. "The druids interrogated me many times, even after I'd pledged my loyalty to them by getting those runes inked into my skin." They hadn't followed her over into her fox form, though, not needing to. The runes were visible on her physical body, but they'd been etched into the very essence of her being to keep her safe from the tentacles of Garnok.

"Those guys have trust issues, don't they?" said Mandy. "And honestly, even I'm starting to not trust them. That's not just because I'm the daughter of a Dark Rider though, is it?"

"Say it a little louder, why don't you?" said Katja, looking around. Finding nobody listening, she let out a breath of relief. "But no, Louisa doesn't trust them either. Why do you think we only have two druids living with us? It took me ages to trust even those two, even after they discovered how corrupt their organisation was. So I guess the mistrust went both ways, in the end."

"Should I be worried, mum?" asked Mandy, hesitating at the beginning of the spiral path. Katja shook her head, which also shook her entire fox body.

"No," said Katja. "If they haven't been suspicious of you up to this point, they have no reason to be suspicious now. I don't think they'll ever see the darkness in you. But if they do, I'm taking you back to our time, no matter what you say."

"I won't blame you or try to stop you," said Mandy, shivering slightly. "I'm kinda scared now, with you here." She'd expected to be annoyed that her mother was here effectively chaperoning her, but... her mother had gotten over her paranoia years ago, after Mandy's first excursion into the past had ended successfully. For her to be this worried now had to mean that there was something big going on, or about to happen. If Mandy was being honest with herself, she was terrified. But she'd inherited her mama's stubbornness, and wouldn't back down for anything. And so, pushing the fear to the back of her mind, Mandy clicked Lemonpepper into a gentle walk. It wouldn't be the first time that Lemonpepper had walked into hell with her. Only this time... she worried that she might not be able to come out the other side so okay. Pandoria had hurt her, the pink light burning her skin, but of course, she hadn't told her mother about that. And anyway, she'd felt better after being back on Jorvik for a while. 

With anxiety sending her body into panic mode, Mandy rode up through the portal, entering the Secret Stone Circle for what she feared might be the last time.

Katja was surprised when she saw her daughter quickly reappear through the portal.

"That was a quick meeting," said Katja, walking over to her.

"I forgot that Elizabeth wasn't actually in Fripp's room," said Mandy, blushing. "By the way, have you ever been in there?"

"No, though the druids eventually trusted me enough to let me hang around with their Lightning Soul Rider, I was never allowed into Fripp's private chambers," said Katja. "I don't blame them, though."

"Did mama have a thing or two to say about that?" asked Mandy, slowly beginning the ride back down the hill to Elizabeth's cottage.

"She wouldn't be your mama otherwise," said Katja with a laugh. "Now, hush, Elizabeth might get suspicious of what you're talking about."

"Hello, Mandy," said Elizabeth when the girl came within sight of her. Rhiannon was still waiting outside, looking through a notebook at Elizabeth's outside table. Mandy was still surprised by how young Elizabeth looked in this time, she was so much older in her own time. This Elizabeth looked like a teenager in comparison, young and spry. "Could I ask you for a quick favour? Don't worry, it's a favour to one of your friends too."

"Sure, what is it?" asked Mandy.

"It's Alex," said Elizabeth. "She was getting a little bored and restless here, not to mention down on herself, so I figured that she should go into Dino Valley to collect some of the rare plants from there." Katja suddenly coughed, though Elizabeth paid no attention to the fox. Mandy tried not to pay too much attention either, not wanting to give away her mother's existence. "Maybe you could go and talk to her? I know that hard work does help when someone's feeling down, but I recognise myself in her. And I know that when I was upset, I'd want someone to come and talk to me. Or just be there while I vented."

"Sure, I can do that," said Mandy, nodding. "Pity I don't have my Icelandic horse with me, but I have a special bond with Lemonpepper so I try to take him everywhere." Elizabeth smiled warmly.

"Just like a true Soul Rider," said Elizabeth.

As soon as they'd passed into the Dino passage, though, Mandy turned to her mother, still sitting in the saddlebag.

"What was that about, mum?" asked Mandy. Katja snickered.

"Nothing," said Katja, her blue eyes glimmering with laughter and her tail wagging. "It's just, do you really think that your mother only went into Dino Valley to collect plants? It was more than that that made her feel better."

"Mum!" said Mandy, blushing. Katja laughed.

"You asked!" said Katja. She sobered, though, remembering something else. "It worried me, though, how much she came here. Dino isn't a very good place for humans to be, it's too cold. As I discovered myself after I became mostly human, or stripped of Garnok's influence, anyway. Your mama has her own demons to deal with."

"Poor mama," said Mandy. "I never knew..." Katja looked down at the snow.

"She hides it well," said Katja. "And she's a lot happier now. But for a long time, she struggled with herself. With loving herself, mostly. She always had to work harder, be better, because it wasn't only other people who tried to tear her down. She did it to herself. She always thought that she wasn't good enough, no matter how many times people told her differently. She actually thought that loving me was proof that she was bad, because a Soul Rider shouldn't be dating a Dark Rider. Luckily, I managed to convince her differently."

"Eventually," said Mandy. "How did such a little ray of sunshine come from you two?"

"I blame your... let's say nest mothers," said Katja. "And your friends. Your boyfriend. Your horses. Your adventures. But right now, your mama needs you."

"Pity you can't turn into your proper self here, huh?" said Mandy, reaching back to pet her mother's fur.

"She's not in love with me in this timeline," said Katja. "Oh right, that's when I'll go back- when Anne returns."

It hurt, to see her mama so upset and hating herself like this when Mandy found her in the Ice Forest. But Mandy managed to talk her around, telling her things that her mother had whispered to her on the way here- that Alex was strong, brave, one of the best Soul Riders. She'd remained loyal to the cause while others had vanished on adventures of their own, she'd worked hard to be a better Soul Rider, she'd sacrificed so much and still tried to be there for her mama. And at last, Alex smiled and gave Mandy a hug, grateful for the support.

On the way down from Dino Valley, though, Alex's phone vibrated with a text.

"Oh, it's Justin," said Alex. "He says that he's got a hit on Concorde! No way!" Gone was the sad girl in the Ice Forest, now Alex was beaming, her face lit up by more than just her phone screen. Alex quickly texted him back, then put her phone away after receiving one more message. "I'll check in with Elizabeth, Linda says she's going to meet you and Justin in Moorland, Mandy. Ride! For Concorde!"

Alex was still grinning while she rode down to Elizabeth's cottage, and even Mandy smiled at the thought of finally rescuing Concorde. But Katja was quieter than usual, even on the way to Moorland. At last, on the road between Jasper's farm and Moorland Stables, Mandy spoke up.

"What is it, mum?" asked Mandy. "Is it because we're going to be rescuing Anne soon?"

"No," Katja whispered, trying to hide in the saddlebag. "Louisa never gave me exact details, I think she tried to forget it, but something big and bad is about to happen." She shivered. "I can feel it."

"Now I'm scared," Mandy muttered, stopping outside of the stableyard. "Maybe I should back out, let the Soul Riders handle this."

"It's too late," said Katja. "There's no stopping this now."

When Xin kicked Mandy out of the highland and a forcefield appeared over it, Katja whined and tried to bury herself in the saddlebag. Her fur was standing on end, and Mandy felt that old panic of childhood wash over her. Stuff like this was why her mother was always paranoid, she guessed. By the time she'd drank the True Sight potion, Mandy's hands were trembling so much that she almost dropped the bottle. The mixture within had tasted... bad. Almost rotten. But now, she could see the pink maze that the forcefield had become. For the first time, Katja leaped out of the saddlebag, landing on the ground and standing at her daughter's feet.

"I'm coming with you," said Katja, her fur still fluffed up.

"No, you have to stay here," said Mandy, crouching down. She was very aware of Justin and Linda standing so nearby, much as she wanted to cry to her mother about how scared she was. "It's too dangerous."

"It's too dangerous for you too," said Katja. "I don't like this. I want to just take you home."

"Sorry but I have to do this," said Mandy, standing back up to her full height. Katja whined, winding between Mandy's legs to try to stop her from going into the maze. But, with one last stroke of her hand down Katja's back, Mandy stepped through the forcefield and disappeared. Katja sat down with another whine, unable to see the maze that her daughter could see and thus unable to follow her in. She could only sit outside and wait. And hope.

Inside the maze, Mandy was actually having a rather easy time finding the way. Born of a woman with the power to create illusions, she was able to see past illusions easily and so found the correct path out of the maze in no time. But at the end, she felt the prickling sensation of someone creeping up on her as she stared at the foal inside the cage. Mandy turned around and saw Xin, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest in fright at how quickly and silently his approach had been.

"Come on, horse lady, into the big top," said Xin, poking her in the middle of her back. Instantly, Mandy felt compelled to move, walking into the big top ahead of Xin. And once inside, she saw him. She'd thought that he was so hot once. Not anymore.

"And here she is, meddling again," said Ydris as Mandy robotically walked over to him. Once she stood before him, the spell faded, locking her in place. She heard movement behind her, turning her head to see Justin and Linda standing there. There was no Katja, though. Terror gripped Mandy for a moment but Lemonpepper soothed her, informing her that Katja was still pacing outside of the forcefield.

"What are you doing with Concorde?" asked Linda. "He's not yours, he belongs to one of our friends!"

"Yeah!" Justin added in. "Give him back!"

"And lose the star of my show? I think not," said Ydris. "You see, I need him far more than you do. Why, if you Soul Riders had him, you'd be able to destroy my world." For once, he didn't look or sound playful. The wizard was deadly serious, and Mandy felt paralysed by fear.

"What?" said Linda.

"That's right," said Ydris. "You didn't think about the residents of Pandoria, did you? No, all you care about is your world. Well then, if your world is so important, then maybe you should race for it. Isn't everything on Jorvik settled with a race?"

"What do you mean?" asked Mandy. "Like the butterfly race again?" Ydris chuckled.

"Oh no, my sweet," said Ydris. "Nothing quite like that. You see, I need to prepare these lovely ladies of mine for the show." He called out names as some beautiful white Lusitanos trotted into the room. Mandy recognised the names as belonging to the missing Bobcatz. She gasped.

"You!" said Mandy. "You turned them into horses?" Ydris nodded, giggling with glee.

"Yes, and not just them," said Ydris. "Now, don't worry, I promise this won't hurt- much."

"What-" Mandy started, but then she screamed.

Katja heard the scream from outside the forcefield. Instantly, she turned against it, raking her claws down the surface and searching desperately for a way in.

"Mandy!" Katja screamed, panic racing through her. She had to get to her daughter, but she couldn't. She just couldn't see past this damn wall of untruth. What was the point in being the master of illusions if she couldn't see past one simple wall? Her daughter needed her, and she was powerless to help. She didn't know what Ydris might do to her precious girl, first Darko, and now this. She was screaming, hurt, in pain, but there was nothing that Katja could do for her.

Terrified, Katja transformed herself back into her human form, slamming her hands against the painful forcefield and pouring all of her magic into it. She willed it to buckle, to break, to shatter into a million pieces, to atomise so that she could see her daughter. But she couldn't even get through it. Couldn't teleport. At last, Katja had to pull her magic back, terrified to realise that her magic was starting to attack her. Katja fell back, clutching her hair, her face, sobbing, her knees buckling. Somehow, she had enough magic left to transform back into a fox, but the action drained her energy. She collapsed, lying on the ground, helpless, feeling more useless than ever. Mandy wasn't screaming anymore, but somehow, that wasn't comforting.

Mandy wasn't screaming because she couldn't scream. Not in this form. She was beautiful, she knew, glimmering golden. But she couldn't speak, could only neigh and whinny and squeal. She reared up, trying to attack Ydris, but the action only made him push her back with a blast of magic. Mandy's legs trembled as she lowered her head, snorting.

"Yes, you are quite the star," Ydris purred, cupping her muzzle in his hand. Mandy wanted to bite him, but she couldn't. Panic wasn't the only thing keeping her frozen. Internally, Mandy sobbed, a single tear sliding down her golden muzzle.

For the first time since she'd come to the past, Mandy wanted her mother. She wanted to go home.

If she could ever get out of this hellish big top...


End file.
